Page 83 of Over the Edge

Yet as far as he could see, Lindsey’s mind was sound.

But his birth mother had been able to fool people too.

As the yellow alert in his mind turned red, the flame of attraction that had sparked to life for Lindsey began to sputter.

The last thing he needed was another delusional woman messing up his world.

Maybe Lindsey’s mental processes were fine, and there was a logical explanation for all that had happened. But until that explanation was found, it would be foolish to risk his heart.

The wise course was to tamp down any personal feelings and play it safe while the situation got sorted out.

“Can one of you show me the area in question?”

“I’ll be happy to.” The ranger inclined his head toward his car. “Why don’t we drive? It will be faster.”

Jack didn’t argue.

Five minutes later, the man led him to a small cluster of pine trees. The area was marked off with crime scene tape, a lone officer on duty.

Jack scrutinized the scene from all angles outside the cordoned-off area. Moved inside for a closer look.

After fifteen minutes, he reached the same conclusion as the other officers.

As far as he could see, there was nothing here to indicate a woman had been stabbed.

It was possible a County crime scene tech might spot something—and the area would remain secure until that could be arranged—but if he was a betting man, he’d lay odds that even eagle-eyed Hank would come up blank.

Time to go back and tell Lindsey the bad news.

A chore he didnotrelish.

“WHAT DO YOU MEAN,they didn’t find anything?” Lindsey stared at Jack, who’d taken the chair across from the couch instead of rejoining her. Bad vibes wafted toward her.

“There’s no evidence to validate your story.”

“But ... what about blood? I saw the knife. I saw the man stab her!”

“We didn’t find any blood.”

She tried to wrap her mind around that news, but it wouldn’t compute.

“I don’t understand. I mean, she was wearing a coat, so I guess the blood could have been absorbed. But she had to be hurt. How could she have gotten up and walked away? And assuming she somehow managed to escape, why wouldn’t she have called for help? Reported the crime?”

“I don’t have an explanation for that.”

Yes, he did. She could see it in his eyes—and it made her sick to her stomach.

He thought she’d imagined today’s attack. Had perhaps also put an unwarranted sinister spin on the lake incident. Forgotten where she’d parked her car the night it disappeared. That all the pressures she’d faced over the past year and a halfhad pushed her over the edge. That she was hallucinating and no longer had a grasp on reality.

Was he even starting to wonder whether she’d seen anyone at the Robertson murder scene? Speculating that everything she’d relayed may have been a figment of her imagination?

Truth be told, and hard as it was to admit, she was also beginning to wonder about her sanity.

Because if she were viewing this from the outside, she’d be thinking along the same lines as Jack.

Her throat tightened, and she swallowed.

She needed to talk to Dr. Oliver.

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